We get asked a lot of questions on the system we use for our hydroponics. I’ll be writing and documenting things as we go. I’m also starting a FAQ page with common questions on the Kratky Method.
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We have had another round of cold nights in the low 20’s and teens. Since our greenhouse is not yet heated its been a struggle to keep things from freezing. But the spinach has not only survived but seems super happy! This is the spinach we planted back in August of 2022 and have been eating and sharing with neighbors since September! We pick off the bigger leaves and let the younger leaves grow. Pick… Eat.. Repeat!! We had lettuce in that back tank but it was harder to keep it happy in the low temps and I think it plain lived out its lifespan. I removed all the lettuce from that tank and moved the spinach over from the other tank to consolidate and make it easier to keep warm on nights below freezing.
I had some rigid foam for future hydroponic tanks that I used to create a warm box to protect the spinach during the night. Added a heat lamp in to keep it above freezing. It’s not ideal but it worked in a pinch! Our 10 day forecast is back to normal Pacific Northwest mild rain.. Spring is coming soon!
Today is January 22, 2023. I have been busy with Thanksgiving and Christmas but now I’m back in the greenhouse! We started these Kratky Method hydroponic tanks back in end of August using IBC totes as our tanks. I started 2 tanks of spinach and 1 of lettuce. We have been eating off all the tanks pretty consistently since about late September or early October. We had an ice storm and temps into the teens for a few days right before Christmas. I was sure with my unheated greenhouse I would loose my first batchs when I saw temps in the teens IN my greenhouse! I have some video’s that show my make shift efforts to save them which amazingly, worked great! The lettuce had some losses and has about run its course. We have been picking the bigger leaves and letting the smaller ones grow and replace them but I think that it can only go on for so long 🙂 The spinach however is still rocking! Even sharing it with our neighbors, it is still producing strong.
This last picture shows spinach that was not protected from temps in the teens. I did not try and save it but rather picked it all back to harvest what I could. When I did that last harvest the leaves were FROZEN! But look at it now! that is all grown back in the last 30 days from frozen plants! Amazing! We are so blessed and thankful to have this opportunity to learn and share!
Read more.. http://my365garden.com/spinach-has-been-amazing-in-our-hydroponic-greenhouse/